New Ulm weekly review., 1887-11-30
THE NEW GURATE.

THE NEW GuRATE.
New England Farmer. *s
"You haven't seen him yet? Well,
that's a pity. He's quite a catch,
I'm told, young, handsome and single.
Why don't you set your cap for him,
Matte? You've as good chance as
the rest Of them, and twenty-six is
not old by any means. y
Sheleaned over the garden cate as she
spoke, this veritable village gossip. I
can see her now, with her great poke,
bonnet, from beneath which the cluster
ing gray ringlets peeped; the keen blue
eyes, that seemed to read your very
thoughts; the trim little figure clad
always in ample skirts of Quaker
Gray or sombre brown
Never was there g wedding funeral
or christening in the village without
this estimable ]ady's presence.
What a harmless little body She
appeared, and how incanab'e
OF carrying about that wonderful
budget getofinformation! How nicely she
impaired her knowledge to her listen
ers, beginning with. "Well, 1 don't
mind telling you." or They do say,
but OF course you can't believe every
thing and ending with, "That5's be-
tween you and me; it will go no far.
ther."
l was busy in the garden that morn
ing training some early June roses;
my thoughts were not the brightest,
scarcely in harmony with nature,
that was decked in one of her bright
est manJles. Itwas quite unnecessary
for Mrs. Briggs to remind me Of my
age; I was thinking seriously of it.
Twentysix! Not very old, to besure,
and yet not very young to, be an un-
married woman. must be content
with fewer laurels, less conquests. /
must step out OF the field, as it were,
and leave the romance and the day-
dreams to younger and fairer girls
It mattered little to me whether the
new curate was young and unmarried,
or a portIy old fellow with a wife and
grown daughters. At heart / disliked
this interfering old woman who had
broken IN upon my reverle.
thanked her kindly for her advcie,
telling her that at present I mad no in
tention OF setting my cap for any one,
not even the new curate; so saying,
went back to my work and the roses.
There, Matte, don't get riled! OF
course it's nobody's business if you're
going to leave yourself an old maid;
but take my advice, and don't spend
your time fretting and worrying ever
Bob Preston for he amt worth it.''
She shook her head wisely, and was
off before had time to recover from
the cruel thrust that had opened the
old Wound-Robert Preston and the
past.
had tried to guard my heart, to
trample under foot the old love. /
could have laughed at my girlish fol-
" as if it were a dream until a thought
less word had brought back the page,
like the dead risen to life again, or a
smouldering fire that needed but a
gentle breeze to make it into a burn
ing flame. One by one the roses drop.
ped from my hands. was only a
weak woman, after all, as, covering
my face with my hands, I sobbed:
"Robert-oh, Robertl Why were you
false?'' @
It all came back to n1e-that visit
to Aunt Martha, where l first met
Robert Preston, a young student just
returned from college. / cannot tell
you all those bright. happy day
dreams; how loved him. and waited
for that happy day when he would
ask me for that love. He read his
answer in my tell-tale face before my
! lips uttered it.
So, engrossed with Robert s society,
II took little heed of other matters,
scarcely giving q thought to the fact
that q young lady, the daughter OF a
deceased friend OF my aunt s., was going
to make her home with us. She came.
From the moment / looked upon her
lovely face my happiness was gone.
4 was q pretty girl, fair and fragile.
yet one might as well compare 8 sim
pie little daisy to q full blown poppy
or rich red rose as my Hail beauty
to this girls exquisite loneliness.
For time my love was changed.
] laughed in my foolish heart at my
doubts and fears. At times ! would
find his serious eyes wandering from
me and resting admiringly on The
beautiful face Of Kathleen Lee No
man could resist that wond1 ous fas.
Gina ting face. She never encouraged
! him. but the drooping lids. tho faint